# messer

/ˈmɛsɝ/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/messer
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

a polite title meaning 'sir' or 'master' used in old Italian society. You see it in very old English books before a man's name.

For teachers: a title of respect equivalent to 'sir' or 'master', borrowed from Italian messere and used in early modern English texts for an Italian gentleman.

## Examples

- The old story calls him messer Antonio.
- In the translated tale, the servant bows and addresses his employer as messer Lorenzo.
- Scholars encountering messer in Renaissance translations should read it as a mark of civic status rather than nobility, roughly equivalent to addressing a respected householder as sir.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.